Lay elements in the criminal justice system of the Netherlands

"...This chapter pays attention to typical features of the Dutch legal system. Among the programmes undertaken in the Netherlands to bridge the gap with the community as well as with individual civilians are Justice in the Neighbourhood (JiB) - an initiative in which prosecutors have their office in neighbourhoods where they can be easily reached by people living there; Eigen Kracht conferences in which defendants meet their victim and a conference takes place; a still growing number of alternative sanctions; and various procedures to obtain compensation for victims who suffer damage as a consequence of crime." (abstract)